Rosendahl wants study for ‘view protection’ law

In an effort to protect views of the Pacific Ocean, the Santa Monica Mountains and other natural resources, City Councilman Bill Rosendahl said he is calling for a “view protection” ordinance for the City of Los Angeles.

Rosendahl said this week that he wants city officials to research view protection programs in other cities statewide and to prepare a draft ordinance for review by the Planning Commission, the Planning and Land Use Management Committee and the City Council.

Rosendahl, who pledged during his campaign to pursue such an ordinance, said that “long-held and precious vistas of the ocean and the mountains are threatened by overdevelopment.

“This is a common-sense approach to protecting our neighborhoods,” he said.

A few weeks ago, Rosendahl appointed Kurt Toppel — the chair of the Pacific Palisades Community Council, former president of the Marquez Knolls Property Owners Association and an advocate of the view ordinance — as co-chair of the Planning and Development Committee of the 11th District Empowerment Congress.

Rosendahl said he expected that a view protection ordinance would face considerable opposition from many quarters.

“Winning approval will require time, considerable effort, and much coalition building with like-minded residents of other council districts,” Rosendahl said.